ABERYSTWYTH MARINA

Marina Manager: Jon Booth VHF Channel 80 Tel: 01970 611 422 W: www.themarinegroup.co.uk E: aber@themarinegroup.co.uk Aberystwyth Marina, Harbour House, Y Lanfa, Trefechan, Aberystwyth, SY23 1AS

This month we head over to Wales and the popular Aberystwyth Marina.

ABERYSTWYTH Marina offers 165 first class berths providing safe, secure and sheltered moorings for motorboats and yachts. The marina is at the heart of the fishing port on the 23 acre harbour site.

The location of Aberystwyth Marina, in a historic university town, ensures

there are a range of cultural, active and educational activities within close proximity to the marina for berth holders to benefit from.

Aberystwyth also has a wide range of cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars, many a short walk from the marina.

FACILITIES & BERTHING Purchased by the current owners, The Marine & Property Group Ltd, in September 2015, the marina has undergone significant upgrade works over the past few years. The marina has been extensively dredged and a regular on going maintenance dredging schedule is provided by the company’s own dredger.

New berth holders are welcomed all year round. In addition to annual berths and visitor berthing, the marina offers a range of summer and winter berthing options.

The marina offers fully serviced pontoons with electric points and water. A new pontoon configuration was installed by Walcon Marine to improve the layout and create a number of larger berths allowing the marina to accommodate boats up to 16m.

The marina also operates the impressive Harbour House building, home to the marina office and chandlery as well as a number of local businesses, with plans recently submitted to create a bar and restaurant on the ground floor overlooking the marina.

A programme of on going upgrades continues to improve infrastructure and security across the marina.

ACCESS The harbour is located by Pendinas, a conspicuous hill 120m high, with the Wellington monument at its crest. The head of the north breakwater, the Wooden Jetty, on the Wellington monument leads 140 o (c), which clears you south of the Castle Rocks.

The approach should be treated with caution in strong onshore winds; beware of cross-tides and boulders around head of the South Pier, the Stone Pier and the Trap (an area of rough ground), which is to the north of the Wooden Jetty. The leading lights, both fixed red and the white day marks on the Ystwyth Bridge, lead 133 o (c). The Wooden Jetty is marked with Q WR 9m; Red Sector (141- 175), which covers the Castle Rocks. The south Pier F1.(2)WG 10s 12m 10m. There are four FR (vertical) on a radio tower 2.8 miles to the south.

The entrance is narrow with a 90 o port turn inside the Wooden Jetty head. The bar is immediately outside the head of the Stone Pier; at low water springs there is about 0.7m on the bar when on the leading line.

Boats drawing 1.8m are advised to

enter up to 3.0 hours before and 3.5 hours after H.W in calm conditions. The marina basin is dredged to a depth of 2.0m at low water springs.

There is a speed limit within the harbour and the marina. All vessels leaving or entering the harbour should not exceed the speed of 5 knots. It is also advisable to check your stern wash. On approach to the marina, visiting yachts should call the marina on VHF Channel 80 or by phone on 01970 611422.

Access to the pontoons is via a secure key fob system; fobs are issued at the Marina Office, situated in Harbour House. The marina is only a short walk from the town centre with shops, cafes, restaurants and other services.

Aberystwyth Marina offers easy access from Birmingham, the Midlands and the surrounding areas. If visiting by road, the marina is accessed via the A487 and for Sat Nav use SY23 1AS.

For those wishing to use public transport, there is a railway station and bus stations about 10 minutes’ walk from the marina.

CRUISING There are a number of lovely destinations along the beautiful West Wales coastline for berth holders to visit. The harbours of Fishguard, Cardigan, New Quay, Aberaeron, Barmouth, Porthmadog, Aberdyfi and Abersoch are within easy reach, as are the marinas at Pwllheli, Conwy, Milford Haven and Neyland. Meanwhile for the those looking for a slightly longer trip, the marinas and harbours of Ireland’s East Coast are within a day’s sailing.

Fishguard and New Quay are adversely affected by strong northerly winds as both are open to the north. We would always recommend referring to your pilot books and charts for passage planning.

Boat owners should be aware of the Ramsey and Jack Sounds on any voyages to Milford Haven - check charts for navigation hazards. Passages should be planned to arrive at the start of Ramsey Sound at slack water so that the ebb tide will assist you through the Sound and enable you to pass through Jack Sound on the same tide.

Also for trips to the north for Holyhead and the Menai Straits check the tides for passage through Bardsey Sound, preferably at slack water or the beginning of the flood. There are a few shallows in Cardigan Bay whilst in passage so always refer to your charts.

BOATYARD SERVICES As part of The Marine & Property Group Ltd, a fully integrated marine company, Aberystwyth Marina offers berth holders the peace of mind of having expert advice on hand in a friendly atmosphere. The company has extensive boatyard services at its headquarters in Cardiff, which provides training, support and expertise to the staff onsite at Aberystwyth.

Boat owners looking for engine servicing, antifouling, rigging and a wide range of other boatyard services should enquire at the marina office. On site there is a slipway for day launching or an annual slipway pass, a 10t boat hoist, hard standing storage and a chandlery.

VISITOR NETWORK Aberystwyth Marina sits at the heart of the company’s visitor exchange network with free visitor berthing available at the company’s other marinas in Cardiff, Burry Port and Port Dinorwic and discounted visitor berthing at member marinas including locations in Ireland and North Wales.

THINGS TO DO Approaching Aberystwyth from the sea, Pendinas Hill, with its monument, will be visible for many miles. The ruins of Aberystwyth Castle can be seen on Castle Point, with the yellow sandstone Old University College building, established in 1872, nearby. The University and the Aberystwyth Arts Centre is sited on Penglais Hill, behind the National Library of Wales, which is one of the five Copyright Libraries in the British Isles and Ireland.

To the north along the Promenade is Constitution Hill with the longest electric funicular railway in the UK, offering spectacular views from the top of the Hill. Aberystwyth is also the home of the Devil’s Bridge narrow-gauge railway running 12 miles up the Rheidol Valley climbing from sea level to over 600 feet.

The Marina Office is home to a chandlery, and a selection of drinks and ice-creams are available to purchase. There is a small supermarket less than 10 minutes’ walk away and further supermarkets within easy reach. The Fire Station, adjacent to the marina, has a popular welcoming café offering a selection of hot and cold dishes.

Future plans for the marina will see a large bar

and restaurant on the ground floor alongside the Marina Office, with an extensive terrace offering views over the marina.

A short walk away, the town of Aberystwyth offers a range of restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes and seaside fish and chip shops for berth holders to enjoy. The town offers a good local bus service and a plentiful supply of taxis and local trains.

Aberystwyth has a promenade which is just over a mile in length running from the Wooden Jetty, in the south near the Harbour entrance to Constitution Hill in the north. On your walk you pass the castle ruins, the War Memorial and the Old College Building before coming to the Royal Pier. The seafront, Promenade and pier is a great location for a walk and to look out over the Irish Sea.

There are many walks and cycle tracks in and around the town and the 52 mile Ceredigion Coastal Path passes through the marina. In addition, the 21 mile Ystwyth Trail offers some fantastic panoramic views of the Ceredigion countryside whilst connecting Aberystwyth with Tregaron in the northern Teifi Valley. www.tourism.ceredigion.gov.uk